Gouthu Latchanna was born in Baruva village of the Sompeta mandal, Srikakulam district, in the state of Andhra Pradesh on 16 August 1909.

[5] After the Gandhi–Irwin Pact in 1931, he organized a Satyagraha camp at Baruva and led picketing of toddy, liquor, and foreign cloth shops in Ichchapuram, Sompeta, and Tekkali.

[7] In 1932, after being released from Rajahmundry jail, Latchanna organised "Harijan Seva Sangam" at Baruva, inspired by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's "fast-unto-death" on the issue of untouchability.

[8][9] As the secretary of Andhra Rashtra Congress Committee, he organised a reception at Eluru for the soldiers of Azad Hind Fauz.

Latchanna, along with Andhra colleagues, like Anne Anjayya and Alluri Satyanarayanaraju used to have long discussions in prison about "Indian Republic Revolutionary Party" organization.

[15] In the meantime, Latchanna went to Cuttack, Kharagpur, Tatanagar, and Calcutta to meet the "Indian Republic Revolutionary Party" leaders for joining their movement, as promised to Siva Verma and B.K.

[16][17] Around 1932, after his return from Tatanagar to Baruva, Latchanna participated in the foot-march of Rythu-Rakshana call given by N. G. Ranga from Varanasi, of parlakimide estate to Chatrapur.

[18] In 1940, he organised All India Kisan Sabha at Palasa, which was attended by Pullela Syama Sundara Rao, N. G. Ranga, Sahajanand Saraswati, and Indulal Yagnik.

The committee took the long reception of tens and thousands of hill tribals and Kisans with an effigy of Zamindari system and got it burnt publicly.

When police were finding it difficult in preparing charge sheet, against Kisans, Latchanna was interned at his native village, Baruva.

[21] In 1941, when Rangoon was bombarded during Second World War, Latchanna in spite of being underground, arranged "Burma refugee’s conference" at Narasannapeta, presided by N.G.

[22] He was the founder and president of the Andhra State Unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress, which he continued till 1955.

He was the president of Shipyard Labor Union at Visakhapatnam and was instrumental in organizing strikes, getting pay scale hikes, and introduction of service grades for the workers.

[23] On the third day after his marriage, he was obliged to proceed to Rangoon to get the Indian labourers released, who were in the concentration camps aftermath the assassination of Aung San.

[24] In 1948, he presided over first Andhra backward classes conference at Guntur, and decided to achieve legitimate rights and privileges embodied in the Constitution of India covering reservations and directives for their social, economical, and education development.

Latchanna started a statewide agitation for the restoration of list of Other Backward Classes, a statutory obligation under the Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution of India.

Latchanna again, started statewide agitation, and demanded the government of Andhra Pradesh to renew the publication of backward classes list by omitting Kapu.

In consequence, the Government of Andhra Pradesh appointed the Ananta Raman Commission, which recommended the list of Backward Classes by dividing them into 4 groups as A, B, C & D.[26] After N. T. Rama Rao came to power in Andhra Pradesh, when he cancelled Backward Classes scholarship grants against his election manifesto, including cancellations of licenses of the toddy tappers co-operative societies for public auctions, Latchanna took serious objection and did satyagraha on behalf of the backward classes students and toddy tappers co-operative societies for cancelling public auctions.

During N. T. Rama Rao regime with statewide agitations, Latchanna was arrested more than 14 times, forcing him to take fast-unto-death to accomplish the demands.

On 1 October 1953, Andhra state was formed with Tanguturi Prakasam as chief minister, who rejoined Congress from Praja Party.

Latchanna from Krishikar Lok Party joined the cabinet of Tanguturi Prakasam on 11 November 1953, to get the working majority in assembly with Kurnool as capital.

Latchanna, as the minister of former Andhra state, was the signatory of Gentlemen's agreement to safeguard the interests and prevent discrimination against Telangana in 1956.

Owing to the personal differences with Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, he was not taken into cabinet in the newly formed Andhra Pradesh state.

[citation needed] Latchanna took an active part in the agitation for the separate statehood of Telangana, for which intensive Criminal Investigation Department team monitoring was initiated on him by the state along with Marri Chenna Reddy and Mallikarjun Goud.

[43] Later, Latchanna took active part in the creation of the Andhra Pradesh Democratic Front along with Congress dissident Marri Chenna Reddy, and socialist leader P.V.G.Raju.

Ranga elected to Lok Sabha while Latchanna became the opposition leader in the assembly of Andhra Pradesh, as well as state president of Swatantra Party.

Swatantra party led by G. Latchanna, along with P. Rajagopal Naidu, and Bharati Devi in Andhra Pradesh state assembly opposed.

[52] Lok Dal candidates, including Latchanna, suffered with film actor N. T. Rama Rao wave of Telugu Desam Party in 1983 general elections.

During mid-term elections for Sompeta, Telugu Desam Party gave the ticket to Latchanna, son, Gouthu Shyam Sunder Shivaji.